Check-controlled apparatus.



A. B. ACEE. CHECK CONTROLLED APPARATUS. AIPLIDATION rum) NOV 2",, 100a G SHEETS-SHEET 1 W 1261205565, Inventor,

fit/ton; 2

A. E. AGEE. CHECK CONTROLLED APPARATUS. APPLIUATION TILED 110127, 1905.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

ESHEBTS-SHEET 3 Fig. 4.

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A.E. AUEE.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910. i a Baum-sum a. 12.

a J 4 w n 0 H 1 I a o 5 W .l? g J 0 A l W 0 4 f Z J 6 V O 1 V J o 3 a 0. F l 6 O I b 4 a 1 6 j 6 5 a O 1 I l w 0 4 M x r H J a a U M T a I a 6 M T; n 6 n \F n GHBOK CONTROLLED APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1908 950,200.

UNITED STA'TEfilATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED E. can, or KmixvILLE, TENNESSEE.

' CHECK-CONTRO LLED APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED E. AoEE, a citizen of the United States, residin at Knoxville, in the gounty of Knox and tate of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Check-Controlled Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My improvement relates particularly to cl1eck-coiitrolled apparatus which is designed for the delivery of soap and towels .upon the insertion of a coin or check into the apparatus. a

The object of the apparatus is to provide for the absolute delivery of a small cake of soap and the delivery at the same time of the greater portion of atowel through an opening in the apparatus and the subsequent withdrawal of said towel into the apparat s before another towel is thus delivered or prpsented, one coin or check actuating the mechanism controlling both the soap and the towels.

In the accompanying drawings, Fi re 1 is a front elevation of the upper portion of an apparatus embodying my improvement, the lower portion, which is merely a ortion of a base forming a chamber, being roken away; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on-the line 2- 2 of Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fl 4 is the same section showin a cake 0 soap being dischar'ed; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5of Pigs. l and 2; Fig. 6 is the same section showing a towel rod being discharged; Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are detail views of the check mechanism; Figs. 11 and 12 show an alternate form.

The apparatus comprises a casing havin a rear wall, A, a front wall, B, right han wall, C, (as viewed from the front), a left hand wall, D, a bottom, E, and a top,

In the lower portion at the casing'is a horizonltlalfiross Hag, Gad go the iiiner face of eac siewa, an ,isa a ide way, H, said guide way being cd iiipos c l of two parallel bars orstrips, 1, 1, said bars bein secured by their up er ends to a bracfiet, 2, which is secure to the casing, and the lower ends of said bars being secure'dto the cross partition, G, and another bracket, 3, is joined to said bars a proxi- Inatel y at the middle of the latter an to the rear wall, A. The upper portio of each of said guide ways is ad acent he rear Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 27, 190B.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 464,598.

wall, and the lower portion is inclined forward so as to meet the front wall just above the cross wall, G, and in the front wall immediately above said cross wall is an o ening, 6, through which the towel attache to the towel rod may extend. Said guide ways receive the ends of the towel rods, 4. Each towel rod has a collar. 5, adjacent each guide way to prevent endwise movement. Said rods are preferably made of metal in order that they may have suflicient weight to move the towel as will be hereinafter described. Below saidguide ways, the cross partition, G, has a slot, 7. extending from one of said guide ways to the other. After the towel has been used. it and its rod pass 'downward through said slot into the space below said cross partition, as will be hereinafter-described, said slot being too narrow to let said rod pass when the towel is wound-around the rod, but large enough to let the rod pass when the towel is not so wound. Said cross partition constitutes a support for the towel rod adjacent the opening, 6, the rod remainin there until the customer releases his han s 'from the towel, as more fully hereinafter described.

For charging the apparatus with towels. each towel is wound upon its rod, so as to form a cylindrical body of the rod and towel. Thetop, F, being removed, the towel rods, havin towels wound around them, are placer into the guide ways from above until the upright portion of said guide ways is filled. Adjacent said guide ways is a duplex check-controlled mechanism for engaging said rods at two different stages on said ways for controlling the movement of said rods along said ways, said duplex mechanism consisting, in the form shown by the drawings, of a air of notched wheels placed at one elevation and a )air of pawls. laced a little higher, as will )e next descrl d. At the lower termination of said u right portion, adjacent each ide way an in positionto enga' the athacent end of each successive towel rod 'is a notched wheel 8, mounted rigidly on a shaft, 9, resting in bearings, 10. Each of said wheels has in its periphery a notch, 11 lar enough to receive the end of the towel r0 and each of said wheels is large enough to extend across the passage in the adjacent guide way far enough to prevent the downward (passi of the towel rods excepting when sai whee s are so turned as to permit the lowermosttowel rod to fall into said notches. lIence, as will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawings, each partial rotation of the shaft tl, and the notchcd wheels, 8, contra-clockwise (so that the notches, 11. move downward bebind the shaft, 9,) will result in the movement of the then lowermost towel rod downward into the lower section of the guide \\':1 such towel rod being then tree to move to the opening, ti, in the front wall.

litt le wa above the shaft, 9, which sup ports the notched wheels, 8, and parallel to .-aid shaft, J, is another shaft, 23, resting in laarings, Q4, and supporting at each end a pawl, 25, rising from said shaft and adapted to lean into the path of the towel rods and prevent the downward movement of all such I'Utl.- as are above said pawls. In the form shown in the drawings, said awls are at such height as to permit room or two towel rods below the rod engaged by said pawls and above the notched wheels, 8. As will be readily understood by an inspection ofthe drawings, each partial rotation of the shaft, 23, so 1 to move the pawls, 25, forward (toward the front of the, case) will permit all the towel rods above said wheel, 8, to rest upon the rim of aid whccl. thus placing a rod ready to drop into the notches of the wheel, 8. when the latter is reversed so as to bring said notches upward into the position shown in Fig. :l.

1n the middle forward portion of the .apparalus is an upright well or magazine for cakes of soap. little way above the level of the lower. inclined portions of the guide \\.t are two bracket plates. 1;. attached to the front part of the front wall. it. and extending thence rearward parallel to each olhcl. (him. 2. and 4.) Upon said bracket |1lutc rests a floor plate, 12 and on said lloor plate rests a slide plate, 14. which ha'. an opening. 15. adapted to register with a lllliltll opening. H'. in the floor plate. [3. From between the opening, 13. and the front I wall, H. rises the tubular magazine or well. 17, the lowcr end of said magazine being l. free from said slide plate and said uriagazine being supported by two pairs of brackets 18, secured to the front wall. it, The upper end of the magazine extends to the top, l, and when the latter has been removed, said magazone may he tilled with cakes of soap, 19. 3

Between the sloping rear edges of the,- hracket plates, 12, is a 510 in, wall, 20, which, with said bracket at S, forms a chamber or chute into which the soap falls after passing throu 'h the odning, it. At the lower portion ofisaid chamber, the front. wall, 15, has an opening, 21, through which the soap slides. In front of said opening is shown a box-like receptacle, 22, into which the pieces of soap will slide.

As will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawings, each reciprocation of the slide plate, 14, will take the lowermost cake of soap from the magaziue and allow it to fall through the openin It. in the tloor late, 13, and thence on into the box. :32. raid slide plate, 14-, and the two'uotched wheels, 8, and the pawls, 25. which. as above described, control the towel rods, are operated simultaneously by manual, ('lleck'controlled mechanism.

()n a lug or bracket, 30, on the right hand upright wall is pivoted a lever, ill, in an up right plane. end to the lower end of said lever and by the other end to the lower portion of the adjacent notched wheel, 8. so that the oscillation of said lever, 31, will reciprocate said link and partially rotate said wheel. The rota tion of said wheel, of course, rotates the shaft, and the other notched wheel, 8. The two positions of add link and said notched wheels are -l|u\\'ll in Figs. 5 and ti. In Fig. 5, the notch, 11, is in position to receive a towel rod, and in Fig. t) said notch has passed downwanl at the rear of the shaft. 9, in position to discharge a towel rod. Between the link. It), and the pivot. PM. one end of a link, 33, i hinged to the lever. 31, while the other end of said link is hinged to the upper portion of the adjacent pawl. 25. The arrangement of the parts thus tltwrilwd provides for the simultaneous downward movement of the notches. 1], and forward movement of the pawls. 2.3. so that after the notches, 11', have started in their downward movement. carrying one towel rod with them. all the otheutowel rods in the manazine will be supported by the edges of the wheels. l pon the reverse movement of ,the lever. ill, the notches, 1.1, are again moved upward and at the same time the A link, 32, is pivoted by one"- pawls. 2.3, are forced rearward between the second and third towel rods which are then above the wheels, 8, so thatthermtfter only two towel rods are supported upon said wheels. the lower of said two rods falling into the notches, 11, when the latter reach their upper limit.

At 34 is pivoted the lower end of a rocking member, 3 and a link. 36, is pivoted by one end near the. upper end of the upright portion of the rocking member, 35, while the other end of said link, 36, is hinged to the upper end of the lever, 31. so that the rocking tthe member, as. will rock the lover, I The lorizontal portionof the member. 35. is coupled to a stamlard, 37, on the rea por tion of the slide plate, ll, said standard having an upright slot, 38, which receives a wrist, 39, on the upturned end. 40. of the horieontal arm of the member-H15. The purpose of said slot is to adapt the parts for the horizontal movement of said standard and thetarg movement of said wrist.

pawl- 2: and the slide plate. H. Said member. 35. is turned rearward by the rearward movement of a bar. 41. which is coupled to the upright portion of the mem ber. 35. at 42. Said bar is guided for horizontal rearward and forward movement in a trough. 43. having at one end flanges. H. j

secured to the front wall. It. In line with said bar. ll. and forward thereof is a bar. 40. which extends through an opening. 46, in the front wall. B. Above said opening is a bracket. 47. supported on the outer face of said wall. and a hand lever. 48, is hinged by one ctul to said bracket and extends said bar. 45. and is hinged thereto. By

pressing said hand lever rearward. toward 'the wall. Ii. said bar. 4:). is forced lengthwise rearward toward the bar. ll; but the space between the adjacent ends of said bar is such as to allow the full movement of the bar. 45. and the lever. 48. without havin said ends meet. Above said space is located a coin or check tube. 49. the lower end of which opens immediately above said space and the upper end of which extends to an opening. 50. in the front wall. B. In the bottom of the trough. 43. is an opening. 5'1. in position to register with the space between the adjacent ends of the bars. 41 and 45. when said bars are in their rearmost position. A check or coin put into said opening. 50. falls through the tube. 49. into the space between the adjacent ends of the bars. 41 and 45. the lower portion of said space being suflicicntly contracted to stop the check or coin between said bars. Then by pushin the hand lever. 48. rearward. rcarwar movement of the bar. 45. is transmitted through the check' or coin to the bar. 41. and from the latter through the mechanism alreadv described to the wheels. 3. pawls. 25. and slide plate. 14. 'hen the two bats are in their rearmost position. with the check or coin between them. as above'described. it is desirable to have the rear bar. 41. held stationary until the forward bar. 45. h s moved forward a suflicient distance to allow the check or coin to become released and fall by gravity through the opening. 51. in the bottom of the trough. 43. To attain such action. a horizontal rock shaft. 52, is'hin ed in bearings. 53. seated on the right hand side wall, C; and said rock shaft has at its :lear end an arm, 54, which extends across the bar, 41, and is adapted to fall in front/of a shoulder or lug, 55, on the "bar, 41; and at its forward end, said rock shaft has an arm 56. which extends across the bar, 45. Said arm is broadened and inclined upward and rearward and is in proper position to be enged by a shoulder, 57. on the bar 45, when t e latter a roaches its limit of forwa movement. hen the arm, 54, .eats in front simultaneously operate the wheels. 8. the 7 of the shoulder. 55. the bar. it. is locked against forward movement. When the shoulder. 57. moves forward it forces the arm. 54. is freed from the lug or shoulder.

Then the. bar. H. is free to move for-- ward. Such forward movement is etlected bv a contractin s )l'tlt". 58. attached bv one h I o I end to the upper end of the lever. 31. and by its other end to the front wall. B. The forward movement of the bar. 45. is eti'ected by an expanding coiled spring. .39. surround ing said bar between the front wall. B. and

thence downward across the outer end of I the handle. 43.

In the lower portion of the opening. 6. in the front wall. B. is a horizontal roller. tiO. resting by its ends in bearings. 61. Said roller turns idly in said bearings and serves as an anti-friction device for the outward and inward movenwnt of the towel through said opening.

\Vhen a towel roller has fallen into the space behind the opening. (3. at the bottom of the guide ways. H, the customer lt-ZHJUS into said opening and pulls on the loose end of the towel. unrolling the latter and leaving only the inner end attached to the roller. When the customer has used the towel and releases his hands from it. the roller falls through the slot, 7, (being thin enough for this when the towel is unwound) and draws the towel after it.

In Figs. 11 and 12 is shown another form of the mechanism for controlling the movement of the towel rods downward in the guide ways. The pawls, 25. and the notched wheels. it, are omitted from each end of the machine and two approximately horizontal. reciprocatoryhars or fingers are substituted. To the lower ortion of the lever. 31. is coupled one cut of a horizontal link. 62. the other end of saidilink bein coupled to the lower end of an a )proximate y upright lever. 63, which is rigit ly 'ointed between its ends to a horizontal roe shaft. 64. A similar lever. 63, is attached to the oppgsite end of the rock-shaft, til. To the lower end of each lever 63, is coupled one end 'of an approximate v horizontal finger. 65. the other end of said ,fin r extending throu h a aideplate, 66. o the up r end of each ever. 63, is con led one enfif an approximately horizonta bar or finger. 67, the other end of said bar pass' g through said guide. The fingers. out ($7.1m: of proper length to project into the th of the towel rods when the ends of the avers, 63, to which they are attached are turned rearward.

The operation will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawings. In-

Fig. 11, the lower end of the lever, 31. is in its rear position, and the levers, 63 are accordingly tilted so as to bring their lower ends rearward and their upper ends forward. This brings the lingers. at. rearward into the path of the towel rods. and all the rods above said lingers are supported by the latter. the up ier fingers. of. being then drawn forward out of engagement with said rods. 'hen the lever. 3|. is reversed, in the manner already deserila-d in eonneetion with the other tigures. the position of the levers. (S3, is reversed, and the fingers, (55, are thereby drawn forward and the fingers. 417. are forced rearward. This results in the l't'ltnls ing of the lowermost towel rod from the fingers. of. and plaeing the others'apon the tin ers. tit".

felnint as my invention:

1. In an apparatus of thenatnre deseribtal, the eombinatlon with a easing having an outer opening. of towel rods too large to pathrough said opening, means within said easing and adjaeent said opening for supporting said towel rods when towels are wound around them but permitting sueh l l l l l l rods to pass downward by gravity when the l towels applied thereto are unwound. andf meelianism t'or successively presenting said rods to said supporting means substantially as deserihed.

:3. In an apparatnsot' the nature deseribed. the eomiination with a -asing having an outer opening. oi towel rods too lar e to pass through said opening. attowel rod support within said easing and adjaeent said open ing. said support having a slot too small for the passage of said rods when towels are' wound around them but large enough for the )assage of said rods when the towels applied thereto are unwound. aml mechanism t'or sueeessively presenting saithrods upon said support at said outer opening. substantially tl leseribed.

In an apparatnsot' the natnredeseribed. the eombination with a easing having an otter opening. of towel rods too large to pass through said opening. a towel rod support within said easing and adjacent said opening. said sup )0" having a slot too small for the passage ol' said rods when towels are wound around them but largeenough for pass through said opening the passa of said rods when the towels applied tfireto are unwound, guide ways leading to said outer opening and ada )l (}(.l to receive and conduct; said towel rpd s and mechanism for controlling the movement of said rods alon said guide ways, substautially, as deseri )et'l.

4. In an apparatus of the nature deseribed, the eontbination with a easing having an outer opening. of towel rods too large to )ass throu h said opening. mide ways leadmg to said opening and adapted to receive and eonduet said rods, and duplex mechanism eomprising a pair of notehed wheels and a pair of pawls for engaging said rods at two dillerent stages on said ways for eon trolling the movement of said rods along said ways. substantially as deseribed.

ft. ln an apparatusof thenaturedescribed. the eombination with a easing having an outer opening. of towel rods too lar e to guide ways leading to said opening and adapted to receive and eonduet said rods. and duplex mechanism eomprising a pair of notehed wheels and a pair of pawls for engaging said rods at two ditt'erent stages on said ways for eon trolling the movement of said rods along said ways. and a moving member in operative relation with said wheels and pawls,

substantially as described.

(3. In a eheek-eontrolled apparatus, a magazine for rods to whieh towels are ses eured and a magazine for holding pieces of soapQtaa-nings through the easing adjaeent eaeli of said magazines. towel rods larger than the opening adjacent. said rod magazine and a meehanism for simultaneously diseharging one of said rolls and one of said pieces of soap from the respeetive magazines.

In testimony whereof I. have signed m v name. in presenee o'l two witnesses, this 19th day of November. in the year one thousand nine hundred and eight.

ALFRED I AGEE. \Vit nesses W. F. H. Fume, 7 P. H. QUINN. 

